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Through a haze of dogmatic Instagram posts, and peremptory campaign ads, the 2020 presidential election spotlighted America’s embarrassingly dysfunctional leaders. Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s debates were more like Saturday Night Live segments than presidential discourse. Since we all obviously miss watching the Cheeto-in-Chief and Uncle Joe bicker, why not run it back and rate their most “legendary” quotes? Trump: "To be blunt, people would vote for me. They just would. Why? Maybe because I'm so good looking." Personally, I rate this quote a 10/10 because he just states what we are all thinking. If everyone had Trump’s confidence, even with a toupée and botched spray tan, the world would be a better place. New York Times , 19/9/99 "If Hillary Clinton can't satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?" I can’t even rate this one. Twitter, 16/4/15 In Corpus Christi, Texas, Trump said to hurricane survivors “What a crowd, what a turnout.” I would rate this a 2/10, he’s just stating the obvious. This is why game show hosts should not become presidents. Texas, 29/8/17 Biden: Biden when he addresses a deceased Senator at a press conference “Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie?” This is a -10/10. I’ll cut him some slack because we all have rough days and accidentally mistake a person who has died (in a widely broadcasted and gruesome car crash that happened only three months ago) to be alive. White House, 09/28/22 We hold these truths to be self-evident: all men and women are created, by the, you know the, you know the thing. Relatable. I would rate this one a 9/10 because it encompasses how I feel when I attempt to speak in Spanish or try to explain physics. Texas, 03/2/20 Biden tells Missouri Senator Chuck Graham, who is in a wheelchair, to “Stand up Chuck, let 'em see you. Oh, God love you.” This one is an 11/10. Biden violated Chuck Graham without even trying. Old age has its perks; you can say things out of pocket and people cannot get mad because you are elderly. Missouri, 09/9/08 It’s astonishing. Out of 332 million people, we the American people have elected Trump and Biden to hold such a high level of responsibility and power within our federal government. First, we vote for a leader whose narcissistic behavior divides people into chaos, then when the 2020 election turns around, we desperately vote for a man that can’t walk up a flight of stairs to save his life. The worst part is, Trump and Biden’s most offensive and racist quotes are not included in this article. As midterms arrive, the upcoming election remains yet another reminder that individuals hold a great responsibility for changes made in American government through political involvement. Voting is a crucial political right citizens ought to exercise, as numerous high school students are now eligible to vote. Nevertheless, simple engagement in civic life is just as imperative to maintaining a democratic republic. Whether that be posting on Instagram, attending a protest, or simply paying attention in history class, it is the younger generation’s responsibility to use education and political rights to mold a better nation—for our future. A better nation that inhabits qualified and competent leaders. A nation where its politics are engaging rather than laughable.

Why is high school not fun anymore? For me, the answer is the race to college. Do I submit my SAT scores? What should I write my essay about? Is my class rank high enough? And why is that girl taking five AP classes? Why was I asked about my PSAT score by some random guy who knows he has a better score than I do? Does that really matter? As I’m writing this, I am entering the fifth week of junior year. (Well known as the hardest year of high school). I thought I would figure this out later in the year, maybe during the second semester with AP tests and the SAT. On my second day of AP Chemistry, former AP Chem students came into the class to talk about how to get through the course; one student said she was shaking after the first test because it was so hard; another said he had never been more confused than in that class. While this might sound crazy, that didn’t bother me. I love chemistry and even though thinking about the workload is stressful, five weeks in and I am still excited about the class. However, while this hard class isn’t so bad, some of my other classes are. Honestly, I’m taking one class partly because it’s interesting, but mostly because seniors and alumni told me I should and that it “looks good for college”. I wish I could say I don’t fall into the trap of just taking classes because they’re hard, and usually, I don’t, but in the high school culture we deal with today it’s almost impossible not to. My counselor Ms. Behmke said that while she,“ hopes that people take classes they are curious about rather than what other people are doing,” she is “concerned that it is becoming more common to take what kids think will look good on their transcript.” This could not be more true. I would love to take only classes that I'm interested in and even though for the most part I do, I wish I had the courage to take more, but I’m scared and won’t be able to compete with my peers. While taking classes that feed your soul, rather than fulfill a requirement is partly on the onus of the student, it is also a product of our rigged education system. When asked about how fair class rank is at East, Ms. Behmke said that “For sure if you take draw paint one and two it is extremely difficult and almost impossible to be in the top ten.” Mr. Hudson also added that if a student did not take Speech and Debate their freshman year, they were most likely not going to be in the top ten as their elective would not be weighted. This is excluding talented students from getting recognition as taking Speech and Debate doesn’t make someone smarter than people who don’t; however, this situation demonstrates the academic pressure on High school students today. Class rank shouldn’t matter, it’s not a measure of intelligence, but a game of credits. Should we allow this to continue?

From January 22 1973 to January 24th, 2022, our country has gone back and forth between pro/against abortion rights for women. Throughout history, men have thought that they have the right to control women's bodies. Throughout history, women have been put under a microscope and told that if chosen to have an abortion they would be called sluts, whores, monsters, and many other nasty phrases. These words have been said to all women. Nicki Minaj, singer, and rapper speaks on her abortion in the song's autobiography to talk about how it has affected her and how she wasn't ready for a baby. Minaj talks like she owes the world an explanation for the decisions she made when she was a child. It is critical to take into account the truth, women don’t get any say on what they can do with their bodies, it’s up to the state. My body and all the other girls' bodies in America have been put in the hands of our Supreme Court. After Roe V. Wade was overturned on June 24th, 2022, we protested. As has happened time and time again, girls alike gathered around the capital and in cities all across America to show these politicians that our rights are no joke. We live in a country unwilling to join together and make balanced decisions. This fight that women have to fight is real, and should not be a debate any longer. The state we live in has chosen to continue to “allow,” women to get abortions, but millions of girls outside of Colorado, will have to go through illegal procedures that very likely will put them in situations without time, into jail, or worse, death for them and the baby. To get a broader perspective on what Roe V. Wade looks like within East. Talking to the health office about how East is and has handled the overturn of Roe V. Wade, and high school sexual activity, in general, gives insight into the importance of this issue. Health Educator Sinead Maguir shares what she and the staff are doing within the health office around sexual activity, and providing kids with the support they need. A vital part of our conversation was how after Roe V. Wade was overturned, many students have wanted to make sure more than ever that they are practicing safe sex. Girls specifically are more conscious about being and getting on birth control, even if they are not sexually active. While abortion is legal in Colorado, taking into account that many girls still don't seem to feel safe or protected is important. As if their bodies have been threatened by the change in abortion rights. Devastatingly this is the consequence that every girl is faced with across the country, no matter what state they live in. According to the New York Times article One Womens Abortion Odyssey; Madison Underwood shares the quote “They're Just going to let me die?” A pregnant woman whose life was threatened when abortion was made illegal in her state of Tennessee. She talks about how her baby had been shown to have a birth defect that would put her life at risk, and the doctors could not save her. Because Abortion is illegal in Tennessee she was forced to go to Georgia at the time to get the medical help she needed. Even in situations of extreme, abortion can’t be used to save a life. Sinead also went along to tell me about the contraceptives that the health clinic offers and the services they provide. Birth control pills, rings, implants, condoms, and the shot are all forms of contraceptives for practicing safe sex. A big part of the clinic and for girls throughout East to know is that you do not need a parent's consent for help at the clinic. Because of HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), anything said to the clinic can be kept confidential and family members and others do not need to know. I also learned the clinic does not have a way to give referrals or provide aid for abortion clinics, however, they can be there for girls if they need emotional support or education on what their possible choices are with a pregnancy. After going to the health office and learning a lot about what a safe environment looks and feels like, it is safe to say that the health office has its best efforts for students and girls at East. In a year of shooting, covid, and more the overturning of Roe V. Wade has strongly urged women everywhere to speak out, make sure they get educated, and that their stories are heard. These shocking couple of months have put our country at a difficult poll, but after speaking with many girls and the clinic, it is right to say that choice is one of the most important parts of healthcare in America and girls' well-being. Sticking to this, in the East is what keeps us afloat and will show people everywhere just how important this is. East is very fortunate to be able to write about this issue and speak on it publicly. The opportunities we have at East and at the health clinic make it possible for girls to get all the support that they need and to continue talking about this important issue for all girls in our country.

Between hall passes and IDs, it seems like East has implemented many new policies to promote security over the last couple of years. As a junior, I have experienced what seems like almost 100 safe-to-tell threats, consistent bomb, and shooter threats, a SWAT investigation, and have been escorted out of the school by armed police. It is clear that East High School needs more security. In hopes to increase security at East, the school implemented its ID policy which in theory would mean nobody could get into the school without being a student or faculty member (with the exception of allowed visitors). Although the ID policy had been in the works for years, after increasing threats for multiple weeks last year they finally implemented it. Now when we walk into the school, IDs have to be shown and if you don’t have one, you have to pay $5 for a new print. However, this is not how the ID policy is actually enforced. The deans and assistant principals monitor the doors in the mornings before school starts and at the front door after lunch. However, this doesn’t account for any other time of day when I have just been let into the school without showing my ID. And even when I have forgotten my ID, it is easy to just keep walking to class without getting a new one, and it is done by almost every student I’ve seen forget an ID. If the ID policy can be avoided by East students, then it can for sure be worked around by people who are not supposed to be in the building. While a solution to this would be to ask the safety officers to monitor the doors, according to Shawne Anderson, they are employees of DPS rather than the school so the deans and assistant principals cannot ask them to do things. Along with a lack of security within access to the building, I see a lack of security among in-house East incidents. For example, at the end of last year as I was leaving the foyer at the end of the day when I was thrown into the doors of the auditorium as a fight broke out. Two girls were hitting each other, pulling hair, and even ended up on the ground. The fight ended with one of the deans pulling the girls apart and inserting herself in the middle of the fight. According to the Denver Public Schools website, “The primary function of a CSO is to provide proactive safety services for the campus to ensure students…have a secure learning environment by intervening in/and resolving any potential or actual disruptive threats or activity. However during this fight, not one of the safety officers was around. While in theory there are people in the school to monitor and prevent violence and safety issues, I only see the deans handling this rather than the safety officers. So then are these DPS officials actually ensuring safety? It seems to me that they are fulfilling the same jobs as the deans, whose jobs are not to carry-out safety procedures but they end up doing it anyway. The recent incident involving the unsubstantiated shooter threat served as an exposition of what safety measures at East really are. After being notified of a fake call from a teacher reporting a shooter in the building, Denver police showed up at East in under five minutes. But, what did the safety officers do and what could have happened in that amount of time? Based on my experience the DPS officers played no role in securing the school and it became a waiting game for the police to show up. Assistant Principal Shawne Anderson also answered in an interview that the DPS safety officers have no direct role in lockdown threats and that they actually lock down with the rest of the school. However, I was told that the safety officers were supposed to make sure school was a safe place, but if they don't have a role when things get tough, are they? This is not adequate security. East high school needs new security measures and effective personnel, what we have is not enough.

As the leaves start turning and the sun gets lazier, we can’t help but get excited for the Halloween season. But, while we gorge ourselves on candy and pumpkin seeds, it’s important to remember where Halloween started. Who do we have to thank for this amazing tradition? Halloween dates back to the Celts, who lived over 2,000 years ago in modern day Ireland, the UK, and northern France. The Celtic calendar ended on November 1st to signify the end of the harvest and the start of a dreary winter. The Celts associated winter with the death of human life and believed that the day before the new year, October 31st, was when the world of the living and the dead connected. They called this day “Samhain,” a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”, and held festivities to celebrate the return of the dead back to Earth. The Celtics believed this reunion of life and death also made it easier for their Priests, also known as Druids, to make predictions about the upcoming winter. To commemorate this, giant bonfires were built to burn animals and crops as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. The Celts would adorn themselves in costumes of animal skins during the celebration, likely where modern day Halloween costumes came from. By A.D. 43, the majority of Celtic territory had been conquered by The Roman Empire. During the eighth century, Pope Gregory III established November 1st as All Saints Day. 200 years later, the church designated November 2nd as All Soul’s Day, also called All-hallows, to honor the dead. They kept many traditions of the original Celtic holiday, such as bonfires and costumes. Early America was hesitant to accept the celebration of Halloween because of the prominent Protestant belief systems present at the time. By the middle of the 19th century, Autumn festivals had a strong presence, but Halloween was celebrated sparsely around the US. It wasn’t until the later half of the 19th century that the celebration grew—partly fueled by the rise of Irish immigrants due to the Potato Famine. Taking from European traditions, America began the ritual of dressing up and going house to house to ask for money or food. This tradition would later become what we know today as “trick-or-treating.” At the turn of the century, Halloween became a much more community based holiday. Halloween parties became the most common way to celebrate the evening. A rise in censorship took most of the superstitious and religious aspects of Halloween away, in favor of a more family friendly event. The ‘20s and ‘30s saw a rise in Halloween parties and parades, accompanied by a much higher crime rate during the celebrations. By the ‘50s, community leaders had limited public celebrations due to the crime issues, thus directing the holiday more at children in their schools or homes. This is also when the practice of trick or treating was reestablished, bringing forth modern day Halloween! Without this deep history, October would just be PSAT month, thank you Celts!

Nicotine usage is not a new thing at East High School, however, this habit has found a new form: the Zyn, a thin white pouch filled with powdered nicotine, flavorings, and numerous filler chemicals. This smokeless and spitless pouch originated in Sweden under the name, ‘Snus’. Beginning in the 16th century, Swedish people began to mix tobacco leaves with salt and water and placing leaves on their upper lip. (Swedish Match.com) Since its creation, large companies have monopolized the industry such as Zyn. Zyn markets itself as a smoking alternative as well as an alternative to traditional oral tobacco pouches such as Copenhagen and Skoal. The difference between Zyn and other pouch brands is the fact that Zyn contains no tobacco. These pouches are filled with not only addictive nicotine, but tons of unseen dangers that affect physical well being. According to a study from August of 2022, nicotine pouches can be seen to cause Gingivitis in the gums. According to Bristle Health.com, this disease causes lower blood flow and oxygen flow to the gums, as well as an inability to repair themselves leading to cell death. This lack of blood flow and cell death, can lead to users having indents in their gums in the places where they usually place Zyns. Usage can also lead to hiccups and nausea as well as an overall sore mouth (Nebraskamed.com). Beginning last school year, the small pouches began to find their way into the lives of East students, with collections of used ones appearing on the ceilings of all three floors of boys' bathrooms. The janitors would scrape the pouches off the ceiling, only for them to seemingly regenerate the next day. A poll sent out by the East Spotlight asked the students of East Highschool if they participated in Zyn usage, 72% of the responders reported “No” they do not use zyns while 28% of responders said “Yes”. This poll garderned almost 100 responses, while not a complete representation of the student body, it does allow us to make an inference into how the student body is interacting with Zyns. Sales of the nicotine pouches sparked in early 2020, with 13% of 15-24 year olds stating they had “zyned” in the last month (Tobaccofree.com). Specifically upper class boys seem to be the catalyst users in the school, with much of the banter and usage flowing through this subsection of students. This “banter” around Zyn is what has fueled the uprising of the pouches. Certain phrases such as “Zyniccino” and “Monica LeZynsky” have swept the internet as well as the hallways. One internet user has specifically taken hold to this brand, he goes by the name, ‘freezertarps” on TikTok, Instagram and more. He has gained nearly 50,000 Instagram followers as well as a whopping 361,000 supporters on TikTok, in a short time due to primarily Zyn content. Most high school students will follow trends, and the Zyn is just the internet's current buzz.

East High School currently offers off-campus lunch to all its students, but frequently, students arrive to class late for their 5th period after lunch. A new policy this year aims to change that. According to the East Website, any student who receives three tardies for their 5th period will be assigned Saturday School, taking place from 8 AM to 12 PM. The new policy, however, has been controversial among many students, who argue that it is unfairly strict, isn’t an effective solution, and has caused more stress in their lunch period. The policy was introduced by two new deans at East this year, Brian Edwards and Jonathon Losh. When assigning tardies, according to Edwards, the deans wait until the class bell rings, but will hold the doors for any students who are hustling. Once the doors are closed, students give their name and student ID to the deans, and if they get more than three tardies, they are assigned Saturday school. Parents are then notified, and if the student is unable to attend Saturday school, there is a meeting with parents to discuss an alternative. According to them, the policy so far has been very effective at increasing attendance, with Losh saying, “We had over 200 kids late the first two days of school, that’s a lot of kids coming in late, [but now]...we’re down to about a hundred”. Edwards believed even that number was too high, saying that typically, the number was even lower, at about “30 plus or minus ten” per day. They also said that there had been discussions about extending the policy to first period. “The reason we focused on lunch is [because] it was one of the areas that was identified by teachers as a primary concern” says Edwards, “but yes there is a discussion of first period classes.” There are, however, objections to extending the policy to first period. Gaby Muturi, a junior, agreed that having it in place would be effective in increasing attendance, but that it would cause a lot more outrage. “Most kids rely on their parents to get to school, walking or buses even, public transportation is very unreliable, so having a kid have Saturday school just cause the RTD bus didn’t get there early enough, that shouldn’t be on the kids.” The policy has received praise from teachers and some parents, but introducing Saturday School has been met with complaints from students. One of the biggest complaints is that the limit of three is too low to assign Saturday school. One student, felt that three tardies was unfair. “Sometimes people just lose track of time. You can’t expect us to go off campus and not lose track of time, especially with how long those lines are. It feels like teachers have never experienced a full lunch line at Chipotle.” Losh and Edwards, however, believe three tardies is already generous, and that they would’ve gone lower if it weren’t for struggles in having too many students in Saturday school, with Edwards saying, “It has to be a system that works and so that’s how we settled on that number, I think that number is subject to change as we move forward.” Another complaint from students was about how it has affected their lunch period. Ariana Lavezza, a Junior, said that despite very rarely being late to 5th period, it had an adverse effect on her lunch. “I am very nervous about making it back in time because of the policy and it cuts my lunch short by quite a bit.” There was also doubt among students over whether or not the policy would last. A similar policy aimed at cracking down on attendance threatened to take away parking spots from anyone with an attendance rate lower than 90%, but it was never enforced. “I don’t think it will last. I definitely think people [will] fight against it” said the unnamed student. Losh and Edwards applauded East students for their spirit and successes, but emphasized the need as a community to get better on attendance. “I’m guilty of being late to things as well,” says Losh, “so we can all work together to get better.” Edwards finished by saying, “There's a lot of potential that I feel like isn’t even realized in the building where we can be better at things, even though it is a very successful school and I think that most students enjoy their time here, so it’s welcoming, [and] I thank…students for that.” Saturday School’s effectiveness has received praise, but discontent from students hasn’t subsided, and its future at East, whether expanded or replaced, remains to be seen.

Starting off the new year, safety remains a key issue for East and the Denver Public Schools district. Compiled is all the safety information from the DPS Board final “Safety Draft” published after last school year, information from East High School’s Assistant Principal of Climate and Safety Brian Edwards, the district's director of Climate and Safety Greg Cazzell, and a district student safety and mental health coordinator Dr. Jane Lineman. Safety decisions in our district are made by the Board of Education of our elected members, then these decisions are interpreted and implemented by the Superintendent with insight and other ideas from subject matter experts like Chief Cazzell and Dr. Lineman. ****For this article I interviewed in-person Mr. Edward and Chief Cazzell. I also interviewed Dr. Lineman over Google Meet.  School/Building: SROs: Chief Cazzell gets a report of the tickets issued from SROs everyday to ensure punitive citations are not the first resort. He explains: “SRO's,they're in our buildings, they're part of our team, but we want to make sure that we're not criminalizing adolescent behavior.” He explains that Denver also started a program called “Alternative to Citation or A.C.T” to make sure that SROs are only issuing citations when necessary. Chief Cazzell gets a report of all citations issued by SROs everyday so he can monitor what behavior is being ticketed. Working Hours:  (Possibly title building hours) - why students are not allowed in the building before 8 am and after 4 pm.  Working hours for our building are new here at East, Edwards explains the need for them to ensure there are enough staff for the students in the building. Explaining how safety of students can’t be promised if there are not staff there to monitor the halls and building. Student IDs: Mr. Edwards describes the need for IDs saying district mandated IDs are color coded by grade to help see if a student should have an off period and should be wandering around or leaving, depending on grade level a student may or may not be able to have an off period. Chief Cazzell and Edwards both note the importance of knowing who is in the building and if they should be there. Safety Procedures : The DPS safety plan mentions the Emergency Operations Plan or EOP and the Standard Response Protocol as the student and staff training for emergencies; this is the standard lockdown or lock out information we practice. Chief Cazzell illustrates the value in these highly practiced routines, he says when a high stress event is taking place it’s like a scary movie when the guy is trying to put the key in the ignition but he is shaking too hard. These procedures are supposed to be so comfortable that we are prepared in those situations. The plan also outlines the safety audits of school buildings that are conducted every three years as part of the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design program. Further outlining the student search and arrest protocol along with the interrogation protocol in the JIH policy. Which states that if reasonable suspicion is demonstrated, it becomes  a safety risk that officials are allowed to investigate. This includes searching students' personal effects as well as asking questions about the incident. “Some students may be searched as part of the safety and support measures outlined in an Action and Intervention Plan.” The School Building: The Board’s safety plan outlines the possible use of weapons detection units. It explains “The determination of a weapon detection system at a school or district building will be a site-based decision with extensive community engagement” however, does not explain what any of these technologies are or when there will be discussions on whether they will be implemented. With cameras schools can be monitored and checked if there is a safety concern, Chief Cazzell explains “There's 5000 cameras that feed into the dispatch center. They can pull up any school.” Cazzell also explains that along with things like the duress buttons and cameras that he wants to make “sure that we’ve looked at our buildings, that there’s no vulnerabilities.” When there are older buildings he wants to ensure the technology for safety within them is up to date and working properly. East does have a system where doors held open for a while send a signal via email to Edwards in case of a safety risk, however, Edwards notes the challenge of chasing doors as a waste of resources when more productive actions could be happening. Community: Mr. Edwards explains the effect that the idea of community responsibility has on the safety of our school. He talks about group and community accountability and culture; will students prop open doors, let people in or say something if they notice something? He further explains that the sharing of information with those surrounding East like rec center. The Safety Plan explains that “High-crime neighborhoods may expose children to violence, which can cause lasting physical, mental, and emotional harm” in an effort to explain their dedication to supporting these students when at school. Chief Cazzell explains that a school does not run in isolation from its environment and outside safety concerns of a building in the surrounding neighborhood affect a school as well. Behavioral Procedure: The Safety plan talks about creating a safe and welcoming environment as well. Dr. Lineman points to the Discipline Matrix as well as the Discipline Ladder as the district standard for behavioral procedures. The matrix determines the level of offense (one through six) and recommended response for an action, whether expulsion is recommended, required or neither. The Ladder explains more specific procedures to do after type 1-6 of offense is determined. It outlines practices like restorative conversations and the documentation of such conversations. It also outlines options for suspension such as in-school or out-of-school suspension. Mr. Edwards explains next steps depend on if the student is ready to have a restorative conversation and “come to the table” or not. Suspensions are more likely to happen if the behavioral matrix/ladder recommends so for an incident and if students are willing to work through the problem or not. Mr. Edwards further explains the case by case basis each behavioral situation is taken. He says If there is any violence or weapons “it would trigger a threat appraisal process” which would involve teacher feedback, a teacher, administrator, discipline representative, parent, and social worker or psychologist who would facilitate the meeting. This would determine the risk level and intervention plan. These conversations are where intervention plans such as searches may come up dependent on scenario and situation. Expulsion is pursued, often referring back to the matrix to see if it is recommended, or mandatory. For example possession of a firearm on school grounds results in mandatory expulsion whereas first degree, second degree, and sexual assault falls under the “mandatory review” for expulsion category. Arson, child abuse, hazing, and more falls under “optional review” for expulsion. Chief Cazzelll explains his interest in bringing over a process he had when working for Aurora Public Schools called Teen Court. He explains the process, “The student, if eligible, goes to the teen court and you know the the attorneys are teens, the judge of the teen, the, the jury as a teen and it's evaluated in that environment prior to actually going to juvenile court.” He says he is “looking forward to trying to work with Denver and the University of Denver to maybe implement a teen court” on something with peer input and that is less serious than juvenile court. School Placement Options: Mr. Edwards explains “a lot of people would like to see schools be able to determine what the most appropriate setting is [for the student]... however, without agreement from the family, that transition cannot take place.” Mr. Edwards explains that certain things trigger expulsion but not all concerning behaviors do, the school of record means that often a school can recommend changing schools or educational setting but the family doesn’t always need to comply unless a student is expelled. The safety plan explains the district's effort for students to be in their optimal learning environment and to find alternatives to the juvenile justice system, however, doesn’t outline specifics to this. The juvenile justice system, a court mandated placement that DPS has no control over. Mental Health: The safety plan outlines the importance of mental health support for both students and teachers. It also explains that the BESS survey, made to determine the emotional state and wellbeing of students, helps DPS adjust teaching to “targeted and intensive social-emotional and mental health interventions to support our student needs.” Its purpose outlined in the Superintendent comments is to recognize risk or high risk behavior in students. The Superintendent was not available for clarification on what this meant. However, linked is a document with examples of low to higher risk BESS screener responses. Chief Cazzelll explains the desire to “strengthen wrap-around services, mental health support, food insecurities, [and] housing insecurities”, adding “Making sure students who have other challenges in their home life have options to get support.”

What once used to be a funny and slightly okay, maybe not slightly cringy app where people can express themselves is now an online store. While scrolling aimlessly through TikTok might not be the best for our brains, it lets us relax by seeing funny relatable things. But now almost every video is promoting an item on the Tik Tok Shop. From fake Stanley Cups to half percent off deals for a Chamoy Pickle Kit, TikTok has lost its “funny” value and is pushing people to watch Instagram reels.  Many people, even famous Tiktokers, are tired of the app and seeing the same content over and over again. Since Tik Tok Shop has become a thing, it seems that once one product goes half off then everyone in the world needs to buy it. Almost every video that has the “Sponsored” tag underneath, people skip, and skipping every other two videos dilutes the mindless scroll.  Even the reason TikTok is as popular as it is left. Universal Music Group, almost all of TikTok trending sounds were removed on January 31st. Millions of TikToks were muted and people were stuck using copyright-free music. ( Forbes.com ) People made videos asking for the return of the Musically star Flight House to bring back the sped-up version of music. The main reason UMG has removed their music is because TikTok isn’t paying them adequately. In their letter addressing the removal they s tated,  “Today, as an indication of how little TikTok compensates artists and songwriters, despite its massive and growing user base, rapidly rising advertising revenue and increasing reliance on music-based content, TikTok accounts for only about 1% of our total revenue.” ( Universalmusic. com )  TikTok being cheap might have cost them more than they know. Without music what even is TikTok?  Longing for a new app, people thought Threads would be the next X (Twitter) since Elon Musk was changing so many attributes about X after taking over, but Threads only lasted for a week. With nothing new coming along people have resorted to Instagram Reels. Before Tik Tok had massive issues, people would make fun of you for watching Reels over Tik Tok but now,  almost half of East students prefer Reels over Tik Tok. We all hate and make fun of Reels because they’re kind of ridiculous and just reuploaded TikToks but somehow funnier. Being able to see if your friends or someone you forgot you were following on Instagram has liked something cringy brings another funnier factor making people enjoy the stupidness of Reels.  People always joke that TikTok will be done in a year or actually get banned but with these recent changes, it might become a reality. I believe we should just bring back Musically. No drama, no “people are stealing my content”, and no copyright issues, just people lip-syncing and moving their phones to the beat and having a nice time.

Abortion is a tricky topic. The phenomenon is potent, with the ability to change a person’s perspective by circumstance; one answer feels right in this case, but wrong in that. The dichotomy over women’s reproductive rights bleeds into a battle of morality. All around, people approach the issue with heavy emotion. A person can try and fathom a personal stance, but with a change in day or wind’s direction, a person can confuse themselves over what is most right. In recent weeks, state legislatures have taken advantage of Roe v. Wade’s overturning. Lawmakers have enacted policy with defiance, limiting abortion access more than it has been in over 40 years. We the people, contemplate our own stance on the topic, while state legislatures claim to know it all.  The Supreme Court ruled that abortion is not protected by the Fourteenth Amendment’s implied right to privacy, and that decision alone is unsurprising. What is more striking, however, is states’ eagerness to restrict abortion, and consequently, women’s access to healthcare.   Florida has sought to crush abortion rates since 2022, with most recently on May 1st, 2024, women are legally barred from accessing abortion once six weeks into pregnancy. While rare circumstances, like pregnancy complications, can exempt a woman from this six week deadline, a number of women will likely be unaware of their situation before this timestamp. Governor DeSantis boasted of Florida’s initiative to defend life and protect the American family: it takes six weeks for a fetus to develop a heartbeat. So where should a line be drawn, restricting abortion when the fetus seems human enough? Besides the physical development of a fetus, there is no difference, from conception to birth, of an unborn baby’s genetic code. A zygote is encrypted with DNA. Thus, no matter what time in the pregnancy, life is life, a two-day old fetus is the same source of life as one of seven months.  Another argument, where anyone with humanity can agree, is that abortion should be restricted once an unborn child can feel pain. According to the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, it takes 24-25 weeks of gestation before a fetus can feel physical pain. However, before that time, whether someone takes a plan B the day after conception, or 8 weeks into pregnancy, it is technically killing a potential human baby. Plan B is legal in Texas, a state that has outlawed abortion completely. There is a misalignment of abortion policy.  Nevertheless, Florida’s new abortion policy does not end with its six week limit. The state, like many others, is also instituting a 24-hour waiting period. Meaning, a woman must wait 24 hours after a consultation before having a procedure. Ideally, a day-long time restriction ensures that every individual is guaranteed time to review and make a more self-assured decision in the most severe decision they will ever make. A 24-hour waiting period is crucial in giving time for a broader perspective to prevail, as abortion is the unideal option.  Believable enough, Florida policy is mild when it comes to the 14 states of Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia have banned abortion completely, except in rare circumstances. For many, the spread of abortion bans feels like the United States is regressing, going back in time, and for others, the bans feel justified for a long time waiting.  Colorado is one out of six states, and Washington D.C., with no abortion term limit. Which brings to concern, how many abortions are happening after that 20 weeks. According to the Center for Disease and Control, 93% of abortions were performed at or before 13 weeks of pregnancy, 6% between 14 and 20 weeks, and 1% were at or after 21 weeks. However, what we are seeing is that women are being redirected from states like Florida to states like North Carolina, Virginia, and New Jersey for abortion operations. Abortion policy is messy, and yes the Supreme Court ruled that this subject be regulated by the states and not the federal government. Abortion does not need to have a standard form of business across the country, however, states ought to institute policy that is to the benefit of both new life, and half of the American population: women.  East senior, Anna Boyle, expresses, “People need to realize that women’s bodily autonomy should not be put on the back burner.” Anna concludes, “It’s a person.” Anna expresses the sentiments of many women and men who feel gender equality must include reproductive health rights. Similarly, East senior Sofia Saavedra expresses her concern for new state abortion laws. She explains, “It's a safety issue, limiting the right to medical care, means dangerous pregnancies can happen.” It feels as though state legislatures are abandoning women, and their reproductive health. East senior, Sasha Bull, responds that abortion bans feel like, “A limit on personal freedom.” From an ordinary person’s standpoint, the government cannot and should not overstep the personal life of its constituents. As of today, the government is doing exactly that, pushing legislation with a political agenda, and not to the benefit of its inhabitants. Not to the benefit of a 17-year-old girl who cannot even vote.

East High School's very own DECA team is state-bound! DECA is a class that connects students to a variety of business-type projects. DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America and is part of the business curriculum at East. State for East DECA is from February 25th to the 27th at the Broadmoor Resort where they will face schools from all over Colorado. DECA inspires kids to follow their dreams of owning a business or being part of the business world.              The two DECA teachers are Kirsten Kahn and Logan Breen. Ms. Kahn has been teaching DECA at East for two years. Ms. Kahn remains one of the best business teachers here at East due to her enthusiasm and kind personality when working with students. Before Ms. Kahn became a teacher at East, she was a teacher in her 20s for four years then went into the private sector Elearning space and worked with a tech company launching a 20-year career. This led to two successful tech startups and two global media companies. Ms. Khan has two kids who have participated in DECA, Lulu Kahn and Alden Kahn who did entrepreneurship roleplay and financial literacy roleplay. DECA doesn't mean that you have to go into business, it is also helpful for presentations or in-class projects. When asked why she teaches DECA Ms. Kahn responded by saying "I appreciate being able to draw on business experience to make meaningful content and experiences for students. I wished I had this type of learning experience in high school. Something that is unique here at East is that I am able to work with them more than once, which is very unique. Many East students thrive on the competitive aspect of DECA and it's exciting to support their success."              Before coming to East Mr. Breen graduated from SMU with a marketing degree in 2018 and worked in marketing for one year for Greystar which is a property management company. However, he decided to change careers and started as a sub at East in 2021 and got his masters in curriculum and instruction from DU in the summer of 2022. Mr. Breen has been given multiple nicknames by the students like "Breen Dog" or "Breenster". Mr. Breen has been teaching DECA for two years, he's been considered one of the kindest teachers here at East due to his calm demeanor and being able to connect with students on a personal level. @MrBreentoks is the tiktok account Mr. Breen makes with students in order to further his bond with them, connecting with them in a modern way. Mr. Breen was asked why he continues to do DECA and he responded by saying "I wanted to be a teacher later in life but decided to do it now because of covid and there being a teacher shortage. It's also really fun working with younger people." Both of these teachers have done an excellent job with students and showing their love for business and their students' business projects, sending over 40 out of 109 kids to Nationals last year alone and after getting past both Districts and State.              So what does DECA mean to students? Holland Burkett is in 11th Grade and has been in DECA for two years and competes in a startup business plan. He is an exemplary student in DECA and finished 4th in the state his first year and went on to Nationals in Orlando Florida. When asked what DECA has done for him he said, "It has helped me with my leadership, presentation, and problem-solving skills.” When asked what his favorite thing about DECA is, he said “ I enjoy working together with my teammates and being creative with everything we can do with our business." Holland's start-up business plan includes a written document that outlines his financial, marketing, competitive advantage, and product overview. All of these are important pieces of evidence that he has to transform into a presentation that is given to the judges. While Holland carries the stress of such a large project, he has been a great role model for those who are just starting DECA, offering to help with presentation skills and practice sessions. Holland has continued to show over and over why he is one of the best Denver East DECA has to offer.          Gabriel Casteneda is a first-year DECA student who just transferred from South, and discussed coming into the program and its challenges for those interested in the class. Gabe commented, "I've never done a project this big before so the sheer amount of writing was a lot of work." Gabe was later asked "What have been some highlights of doing DECA your first year? He responded by saying "Going to districts and study groups with my friends. I'm also excited to go to state and show the results of my hard work." Gabe has done a great job in his written events attending workshops that have been hosted by Ms. Khan. Gabe has also sought help from others who are doing the same event. He hopes to place in the top five at state this year and go on to Nationals.       DECA at East High School is for everybody and even if you don't want to pursue a career in business you can still learn very important and valuable life skills. You learn about a community of people you can connect with and make new friends with while also picking up skills like how to present or how to talk to a large group of people. So the question remains will you do DECA next year?

College Board is a not-for-profit organization responsible for administering PSAT and SAT Tests, running AP Classes, and providing educational resources to high schools, making the organization a significant presence in high school student’s lives. However, the organization has been criticized for exploiting students rather than helping them, with high test costs and additional fees, as well as the amount of stress they give students.  One of the biggest complaints about the organization is the amount of money it makes. Despite being classified as a non-profit organization, College Board made over $140 million in 2022, and CEO David Coleman made $2 million. The issue students have with the large profit College Board makes is that it charges a large amount for their tests. Currently, College Board charges $98 for most AP tests, and $60 for the SAT. Students also complain about how much influence the College Board has over education. Junior Beckett Nelson Gardner felt that, “they’re not very heavily regulated as far as I know and they have a whole lot of reach [which] means that they kind of hold almost too much power.” Another complaint is that the College Board only worsens the competition surrounding college admissions. Cora Smith, another Junior, felt that, “more people are taking [AP Classes] regularly instead of taking honors or normal class options, it's putting unnecessary academic pressure and expectations on students to be taking these difficult classes that are supposed to be seen as an additional challenge” In addition to issues with AP classes, critics argue that the SAT unfairly disadvantages low-income students, since they aren’t able to take expensive SAT prep courses, or take the test multiple times. These factors are among many reasons that College Board remains so poorly perceived among students, having only a “C” ranking from the Better Business Bureau. However, despite these criticisms, there are several reasons people list when defending The College Board as well. For AP classes, one benefit according to Smith was, “The opportunity to get college credit as a way to save money when I do actually go to college and making it so colleges are more likely to accept me or offer scholarships.” The College Board also offers multiple scholarships to students, and partners with multiple other organizations to award scholarships, totaling 1.5 billion per year. Additionally, though the SAT is criticized for the racial and economic gaps in test scores, defenders of the SAT point out that these differences are the result of academic inequality, rather than the test itself. Plus, according to the New York Times, though many colleges have dropped SAT requirements in recent years, the SAT is often a better indicator of how successful a student will be on a college campus than other factors, in part due to grade inflation making it harder for high achieving students to stand out. Additionally, the SAT may be more equitable than other activities considered in college admissions, since scoring well on the SAT is easier to achieve than participating in multiple expensive extracurriculars, receiving higher quality letters of recommendation from private school teachers with far less students, or receiving extra help in editing college essays, all of which are much easier for students from wealthier families. The continuing fight over The College Board’s role in education leaves students confused. Smith complained that with regards to the SAT, colleges, “Either should require it or not have it at all anymore because having it be different for different colleges that you apply to makes it a difficult choice whether to take the SAT or not.” A 2022 survey by College Board reported that one in three US high school graduates say they’ve taken at least one AP exam. Considering College Board’s largely growing role in education, it becomes increasingly important to ensure the success of high school students.